System and method for auto-configuring stackable network devices

• US 7,305,458 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2003
• Issued: 12/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accton Technology Corporation
• Original Assignee: Accton Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Hsue, Hong-June, Cheng, Yun-Pin, Wang, Ran-Yih
• Primary Examiner(s): Pollack, Melvin H.
• Application Number:
  US10/421,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 709/208, 709/209, 709220-224, 709/239, 709/244, 709/245, 709/249, 713/1, 713/2, 713/100, 370/254, 370/255, 370/389, 370396-399, 3703953-39531, 370/395.53, 3703957-39572, 370/400, 370/409
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC

Abstract

A system and a method for auto-configuring stackable network devices are disclosed for automatically configuring a plurality of stackable network devices. The system for auto-configuring stackable network devices comprises: a configuration file, a command line interface (CLI) component, a switch controller and a topology manger. The method for auto-configuring stackable network devices utilizes the feature that the network device has a unique medium access control (MAC) address, to automatically performing the system configuration.

Claims

1. A system for auto-configuring stackable network devices, said system comprising:

a plurality of stackable network devices which are stacked and connected, said stackable network devices having a plurality of medium access control (MAC) addresses and a plurality of sets of initialization data, respectively;

a configuration file in which said sets of initialization data are previously stored for initializing said stackable network devices, said configuration file having a MAC address table listing said MAC addresses for pointing out the correlations between said MAC addresses and the locations at which said sets of initialization data are recorded, said MAC addresses being correspondent to a primitive logic stacking sequence shown in first allocation information;

a topology manager for obtaining second allocation information showing a current logic stacking sequence, wherein said MAC addresses are currently correspondent to said current logic stacking sequence;

a switch controller for generating associative allocation information by comparing and analyzing said MAC addresses correspondent to said current logic stacking sequence in said second allocation information to said MAC addresses correspondent to said primitive logic stacking sequence in said first allocation information; and

a command line interface (CLI) component for configuring said stackable network devices arranged in said current logic sequence respectively by reading said sets of initialization data of said stackable network devices from said configuration file in accordance with said associative allocation information.

2. The system for auto-configuring stackable network devices of claim 1, wherein said stackable network devices are selected from a group consisting of a stackable switch, a stackable hub, a stackable switching hub and a stackable switching router.

3. The system for auto-configuring stackable network devices of claim 1, wherein said CLI component executes a command for storing a plurality of current configuration states of said stackable network devices into said configuration file.

4. The system for auto-configuring stackable network devices of claim 1, wherein said configuration file is stored in a master stackable network device of said stackable network devices, and said master stackable network device is used for performing a step of system configuration.

5. A method for auto-configuring stackable network devices, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of stackable network devices which are stacked and connected, said stackable network devices having a plurality of medium access control (MAC) addresses and a plurality of sets of initialization data respectively;

providing a configuration file in which said sets of initialization data are previously stored for initializing said stackable network devices, said configuration file having a MAC address table listing said MAC addresses for pointing out the correlations between said MAC addresses and the locations at which said sets of initialization data are recorded;

obtaining first allocation information showing a primitive logic stacking sequence, said MAC addresses being correspondent to said primitive logic stacking sequence;

obtaining second allocation information showing a current logic stacking sequence, wherein said MAC addresses are currently arranged and correspondent to said current logic stacking sequence;

generating associative allocation information by comparing and analyzing said MAC addresses correspondent to said current logic stacking sequence in said second allocation information to said MAC addresses correspondent to said primitive logic stacking sequence in said first allocation information; and

configuring said stackable network devices arranged in said current logic sequence respectively by reading said sets of initialization data of said stackable network devices from said configuration file in accordance with said associative allocation information.

6. The method for auto-configuring stackable network devices of claim 5, wherein said stackable network devices are selected from a group consisting of a stackable switch, a stackable hub, a stackable switching hub and a stackable switching router.

7. The method for auto-configuring stackable network devices of claim 5, wherein said CLI component executes a command for storing a plurality of current configuration states of said stackable network devices into said configuration file.

8. The method for auto-configuring stackable network devices of claim 5, wherein said step of obtaining said second allocation information is performed by a topology manager.

9. The method for auto-configuring stackable network devices of claim 5, wherein said step for generating said associative allocation information is performed by a switch controller.

10. The method for auto-configuring stackable network devices of claim 7, wherein said re-configuration step is performed by said CLI component.

11. The method for auto-configuring stackable network devices of claim 7, wherein said step of obtaining said first allocation information is performed by said CLI component.

12. The method for auto-configuring stackable network devices of claim 5, wherein said configuration file is stored in a master stackable network device of said stackable network devices, and said master stackable network device is used for performing a step of system configuration.